That post explained how we used the power of small money wins to accumulate $16,000 in savings (and growing) for Ashlea’s degree. However, that post shows an example of small money wins four years into the process.

This week I want to continue discussing the power of small money wins by sharing a brand new example that I just began within my business.

Last month I started transferring 10% of each payment I receive for the Secure Entrepreneur Monthly Money Habit Membership Group into a Kiva.org account.

Kiva is an organization that allows you to put money into an account and then lend that money to help entrepreneurs around the world grow their businesses.

Here is Kiva’s mission statement from their website:

Kiva is an international nonprofit, founded in 2005 and based in San Francisco, with a mission to connect people through lending to alleviate poverty. We celebrate and support people looking to create a better future for themselves, their families and their communities.

These loans can be for any amount, but you can start helping with small loans of only $25. Each small loan accumulates, allowing the entrepreneur in need to build their business.

The entire Kiva process is an amazing example of the power of small money wins!

The Monthly Money Habit Group and Small Money Wins

The plan with the 10% of each membership fee being transferred to Kiva is to use small money wins to make a difference, and have that difference grow over time so the Secure Entrepreneur community can begin to make a bigger and bigger difference for entrepreneurs in need around the world.

Let’s do some math and see how quickly these small money wins can make a difference. Currently (at the time I write this) there are four people in the monthly membership group, each paying $35/mth. For the very first transfer I deposited:

September

$35 * 10/100 = $3.50 per member
$3.50 * 4 members = $14.00

Kiva’s minimum requirement for a loan is $25. This means that in September there was not enough money in the Kiva account to make a donation. $14 is a great start, and a small money win, but it isn’t doing much….yet.

Getting started with a $14 small money win

October

I just finished donating October’s 10% into the Kiva account. The math looked like this:

This month there will be enough money in the Kiva account to make a single $25.00 loan. Although still a small money win, I think this win is a bit bigger than September’s win. Which is the point I am hoping to make: small money wins accumulate into big money wins.

The 10% is now starting to make a difference for an entrepreneur somewhere in the world (the members will make a decision on who to donate the money to).

Small money wins adding up

Even if the membership never grew (which is definitely not the plan) the Kiva account would gain $14.00 every month.

By the end of 2016 that means the group will have $56.00 to lend, or two $25 loans.
By the end of 2017 the group would have $224, or almost nine $25 loans.

Each monthly small money win accumulates and now that money is making an even bigger difference.

If I manage to double the membership to eight people in October how are the numbers different?

September and October: $56.00
November: $28.00
December: $28.00

Total: $112.00 to lend out to entrepreneurs in need.

By the end of 2017, with eight people in the membership the Kiva account would have $448. That is almost 18 $25 loans.

Start with your own small money wins now

The plan is to try and grow the membership group even more than that. Each person added increases each small money win, which will add up to make a bigger difference to the businesses we lend money to.

Look at the growing difference just $3.50/month can make. That is the power of small money wins!

As you can see from saving money for Ashlea’s Masters Degree and this Kiva example, you don’t need to have a lot of money to start harnessing the power of small money wins.